Fluid check valve device

Abstract

A fluid check valve device for use with a gas precharged fluid storage tank comprising a valve body including a float chamber having an upper and lower check valve assembly formed at opposite ends thereof wherein the lower check valve assembly comprises a lower float member movable between a sealed and unsealed position and a lower valve seat and the upper check valve assembly comprises an upper float member movable between a sealed and unsealed position with a first and second upper valve seat together with antivortex flow apertures formed in the lower portion of the lower float chamber immediately above the lower valve seat and a plurality of float control apertures formed on the mid-portion of the float chamber such that as the gas precharged fluid storage tank is filled with fluid the lower float member is unseated from the lower valve seat permitting the gas precharged fluid storage tank and lower float chamber to be filled through the antivortex flow apertures and wherein the upper float member is moved from the first valve seat as the fluid approaches the top of the valve body to exhaust the gas from the fluid check valve device and seats with the second upper valve seat when the fluid reaches the top of the valve body and wherein as fluid is drawn from the gas precharged fluid storage tank through the antivortex flow apertures and the fluid level within the gas precharged fluid storage tank reaches the level of the upper check valve assembly the upper float member is again sealed with the first upper valve seat to prevent air from entering into the fluid check valve device and as the water level within the precharged fluid storage tank reaches the float control apertures air flows into the float chamber causing the lower float member to move downward until seated or sealed on the lower valve seat to prevent the precharged gas from escaping.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fluid check valve device for use with a gas precharged fluid storage tank; said fluid check valve device comprising a hollow valve body operatively mounted within the precharged fluid storage tank, said hollow valve body having a float chamber formed therein and a lower check valve assembly disposed at the lower end thereof, said hollow valve body having at least one antivortex aperture formed on the lower portion thereof above said lower check valve assembly, said lower check valve assembly comprising a lower valve seat and lower float member disposed to move between a sealed and unsealed position relative to said lower valve seat, said lower float member moving from said unsealed position to said sealed position when the fluid level within the gas precharged fluid storage tank approaches said antivortex aperture, said hollow valve body further includes at least one float control aperture formed on the intermediate portion thereof in spaced relation relative to said antivortex aperture to control the rate of vertical movement of said lower float member in response to the fluid level within the gas precharged fluid storage tank such that as fluid is drawn from the precharged fluid storage tank said lower float member remains in the uppermost portion of said hollow valve body until the fluid level reaches said float control aperture causing said lower float member to rapidly accelerate downward to said sealed position. 
     
     
       2. The fluid check valve device of claim 1 further including an upper check valve assembly comprising a first and second valve seat and an upper float member movable between a sealed and unsealed position, said upper float member moving from said unsealed to said sealed position when the fluid level within the precharged fluid storage tank descends to said second upper valve seat. 
     
     
       3. The fluid check valve device of claim 2 wherein said first upper valve seat forms an irregular shape to prevent said upper float member from sealing therewith to permit exhausting of gas from said hollow valve body as the water level approaches said upper check valve assembly during filling. 
     
     
       4. The fluid check valve device of claim 1 further comprising a mounting means to couple said fluid check valve device to the gas precharged fluid storage tank, said mounting means including a supply aperture in communication with said antivortex aperture. 
     
     
       5. The fluid check valve device of claim 1 wherein said hollow valve body is disposed at substantially the center of the gas precharged fluid storage tank to prevent fluid vortex.